Amir Khan faces a 24-hour wait before learning whether his two-belt world
light-welterweight title rematch with Lamont Peterson will go ahead in 10
days’ time after Golden Boy promoter Richard Schaefer revealed last night
that the American had failed a steroids test.

Face off: Amir Khan (right) and Lamont Peterson during a press conference at Hilton London Metropole in MarchPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

Khan said through his management team on Tuesday night that he was “deeply disappointed”. Peterson’s lawyers were on Tuesday making representation to the Nevada State Athletic Commission in an attempt to salvage the fighter’s licence to face Khan. Testing positive for steroids normally carries a 12-month ban.

Schaefer, Khan’s stateside promoter, revealed he was informed by the NSAC that Peterson had shown abnormally high levels of a banned steroid in a urine sample following a random test on March 19 taken by the Las Vegas-based Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency.

Khan and Peterson submitted urine samples that day, after a press conference in Los Angeles to publicise the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation world title contest in Las Vegas on May 19. The two fighters had voluntarily signed up with VADA at the behest of Peterson.

Although Peterson’s A and B samples returned consistencies containing a banned steroid, Peterson then tested negative in a separate urine submission in April. The Washington fighter’s lawyers are due to make their case using the April test as evidence to the NSAC authorities. Schaefer said: “Peterson’s legal representatives will be submitting their paperwork to the Nevada Commission today, explaining themselves and why there was a substance in Peterson’s urine. Based on those statements from Peterson, the Nevada Commission will rule on whether there will be a fight or not.

“I assume we will know by tomorrow. Amir is very disappointed but he is going to follow whatever the Nevada Commission is going to rule.”

Schaefer intimated there may be some hope for the fight because of the subsequent negative test.

However, Schaefer expressed dismay over the late notice of the positive test, with Peterson’s camp having been informed of the findings from the ‘A’ sample on April 13. Yet it was not until April 30 that Peterson requested the ‘B’ result to be verified.

Schaefer said: “Why they did not ask for an expedited process for the B sample is a mystery.”

Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer, said last night he was told by Peterson’s attorney Jeff Fried that the fighter tested positive for surgically implanted “testosterone pellets”.